Seal locks



y 9, 1958 R. L. STEGMAIER SEAL LOCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 7, 1956 FIG.2

July 29, 1958 Y R. L. STEGMAIER 2,845,296

' SEAL LOCKS- Filed Sept. 7, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent SEAL LOCKS Raymond Leo Stegmaier, Arlington, Va.

Application September 7, 1956, Serial No. 608,638 4 Claims. (Cl. 292-323) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States in governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon in accordance with the provisions of 35 U. S. C. 266.

This invention relates to seal locks and more particularly to such locks which can be readily adjusted and adapted to various sizes and shapes of objects.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved seal lock for securing and sealing bundles, packages, mail pouches, sacks, and the like, so as to prevent surreptitious access to such objects by picking, shimming, jarring, tapping or vibrating the seal lock, or by disengaging the locking mechanism with magnetic force.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved seal lock which permits visual observation of surreptitious entry of the sealed object where such entry is gained by tampering with the seal lock.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved seal lock which cannot be taken apart and reassembled without visual detection thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings; wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the seal lock with the cap plate shown both prior to and subsequent to its attachment to the base plate.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the seal lock.

Figure 3 is a prespective view of the assembled seal lock.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the seal lock applied to a pouch.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a seal lock housing consisting of a base plate 11 and cap plate 12. The base plate 11 and cap plate 12 are preferably made of a transparent or translucent material such as one of the well known thermosetting plastics.

Recessed into the base plate 11 is a channel 13 which terminates in openings 14 and 15 in side 16 of-the base plate 11. A band 17 is positioned in the channel 13. The band 17 has circular perforations 18 along its length. One end of the band 17 is formed into a loop 19. The loop end 21 of the band 17 is inserted through an opening 22 in the side 16 of the base plate 11. The loop end 21 is secured in the base plate 11 by a pin 23 which is inserted through one of the perforations 18. The loop end 21 and pin 23 may be positioned in recesses formed in the base plate 11 or may be positioned in the base plate 11 while that plate is still in its fluid state.

A sprocket wheel 24 is rotatably positioned in a circular depression 25 in the base plate 11. This rotation takes place about a shaft 26 which is set into the base plate 11. The sprockets 27 of the sprocket wheel 24 engage in sequential manner the perforations 18 of the band 17. A ratchet 28 is positioned in a depression 29 of the base 2,845,296 Patented July 29, 1958 "ice plate 11. This ratchet 28, positioned for limited rotation about a shaft 31, engages the sprockets 27 of the sprocket wheel 24 so as to permit rotation of that wheel in only one direction, as is well known in the art. The spring 32, fastened to the base plate 11 at 33, bears against the ratchet 28 so as to maintain the ratchet in contact with the'sprocket wheel 24. The ratchet 28 permits oper. ation of the sprocket wheel 24, as is clearly shown in Figure'2so as to pennitjdecreasing the diameter of the loops Has that loop is. tightened around an object to be sealed.

A second sprocket wheel.35 is rotatably positioned in a recess 36in the base plate 11. The sprocket wheel 35'rotates about a shaft 37 and has sprockets 38 which sequentially engage the perforations 18 of the band 17. A ratchet '39 is positioned for limited rotation about a shaft 41 in a recess 42 of the base plate 11. A spring 43 fastened to the base plate at 44 bears against the ratchet 39 so as to maintain the ratchet 39 in contact with the sprocket wheel 35. Thus the sprocket wheel 35 is rotatable only in the direction which decreases the crosssectional area of the loop 19. (See Figure 2.)

The other end 45 of the band 17 extends through the opening 15. This other end 45 may be manually pulled so as to rotate sprocket wheels 24 and 35 and decrease the cross-sectional area of the loop 19.

The cap plate 12 is sealed to base plate 11 so as to be irremovable during use and, being made of a transparent or translucent material, permits observation of the internal mechanism of the seal lock.

The ratchets 28 and 39 are preferably made of a nonmagnetic material and positioned in opposition so that any blow tending to jar one ratchet into an inoperative posi tion, will more firmly set the other ratchet in place. Figure 2 clearly shows how this is accomplished by positioning ratchets 28 and 39 in reverse positions to one another.

Figure 4 shows the seal lock of this invention applied to a pouch 46. The band end 45 has been pulled until the loop 19 fits tightly around the inlet portion 47 of the bag 46. Thereafter it will be necessary to break the band 17 in order to gain access to the bag 46. Any attempt to tamper with the lock suchas by punching, drilling, or otherwise bypassing the lock seal is readily detected by visual observation since the seal lock mechanism is clearly visible through its casing.

In order to clearly identify each seal lock and avoid substitutions of other seal locks for one applied to a given object, there maybe formed into the surface of the lock numerals 48 or other identifying indicia as shown, by way of example, in Figure 3.

While there has been shown and described an invention in connection with certain specific embodiments, it will of course be understood that it is not intended nor wished to be limited thereto, since it is apparent that the principles herein disclosed are susceptible of numerous other ap plications, and modifications may be made in the struc tural arrangement and in the instrumentalities employed without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A seal lock comprising a housing having a base plate, a channel in said base plate terminating at its ends in openings through said base plate; a band having perforations along its length in said channel; one end of said band extending through one of the channel openings and being formed into a loop with the loop end I 3 t being positioned in opposition to said one ratchet to engage the other of said sprocket wheels, said ratchets being spring-loaded into engagement with their respective sprocket wheels; a cap plate irremoveablytastened to said base plate so as to prevent access to said-sprocket wheels, ratchets and channel-contained band; the other end of said band extending through the other channel opening so that as said other end of said bandislpullecl out of said base plate said band is moved along said channel and said loop is decreased in compass so as to'be tightened around an object to be sealed.

2. A seal. lock comprising a housing having a channel terminating at its ends in openings through said housing, a band in said channel, one end of said band extending through one of the channel openings andbeing formed into a loop with the loop end fastened into said housing, at least two uni-directional rotatable wheels positioned lucent plastic cap plate, said 4 said band extending through the other channel opening so that as said other end of said band is pulled out of said housing said band is moved along said channel and said loop is decreased in compass so as to be tightened around an object to be sealed.

3. A seal lock according to claim 1 in which said housing consists of a translucent plastic base plate and transratchets being made of a non-magnetic material.

4. A seal lock according to claim '2 in which said housing consists of a light-penetrable plastic base plate and cap plate, said ratchets being made of a non-magnetic material.

in said housing in engagement with said band, means in opposition in said housing for preventing bi-directional rotation of said wheels under impact, the other end of Boal Apr. 30. 1907 Orschel Apr. 3, 1956 

